A New Beginning
by dreamofshadows
Summary: Story one in the Sheila Bridger series. Complete.
1. Prologue

A New Beginning  
  
By dreamofshadows  
  
AN: My favoritest thing to do with fanfiction is create a new character and see how things would be different with that new character. Enter Sheila Ann Bridger, Nathan and Carol's daughter, who is conveniently the same age as Lucas. :op This is my interpretation of the first episode. Enjoy. :o)  
  
Disclaimer: I own nothing seaQuest. Darn it all. I am, however, borrowing. Heavily. I do own Sheila. Bwahahahaha.  
  
Prologue  
  
_I'm so tired, but I can't sleep  
Standing at the edge of something much too deep  
It's funny how we feel so much  
But we cannot say a word  
We are screaming inside  
But we can't be heard  
_-Sarah McLachlan – I Will Remember You  
  
_She was lost in a maze. No matter which way she went or how much she backtracked she kept ending up at dead ends. It was dark, almost pitch black. She didn't know how long she had been stuck here. Days? Months? Years? It felt like she had been lost forever. She could feel the panic rising, although she struggled to remain calm. She began to run. She had to get out. She had to find an exit, lest she become lost forever..._  
  
Sheila Bridger sat up in bed with a start. For a moment she felt disoriented, but it slowly went away as she realized she had been dreaming. Again. She kept having the same dream, every night, for almost a month. She sighed and swung her legs out of bed and searched for her sandals with her feet. She knew she wouldn't be able to fall back asleep right away. She grabbed a sweater on her way out the door. A walk on the beach would calm her down enough for more sleeping.  
  
She shivered slightly at the cool ocean breeze. Walks on the beach were becoming a nightly ritual for her lately. She wasn't exactly sure why she kept having this dream, but walking helped her think and she had a pretty good explanation figured out. Not that she could do anything about it, really. Her father would never let her leave.  
  
The thing was, she felt trapped on this island. The only time she was ever allowed off it by herself was when they desperately needed groceries from the mainland her father got really involved in Darwin's training and felt he was onto a breakthrough. And if she took a millisecond longer than he thought it should, she could see the worry in his eyes.  
  
She knew he was just trying to protect her – and protect himself at the same time. She felt that way about him sometimes, when he was doing something a little risky, like when he was fixing the leak in the roof last month. They were the only family the other had left, and after losing Bobby, and then her mother, Sheila couldn't bear losing her father too, and knew he felt the same way about her.  
  
But she was 16. She need to have a life. She needed friends. She needed more than seclusion on an island with just her father and a dolphin for company. She just didn't know how to get it.


	2. Choices

Chapter One: Choices  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own seaQuest, the show's characters, the script 'To Be or Not to Be' that I borrowed heavily from, blah blah blah, etc etc etc.  
  
_There are always two choices, two paths to take. One's easy. And its only reward is that it's easy_.  
-Unknown

* * *

Nathan Bridger walked up towards his house and saw what he least expected, and least wanted, to see, a group of UEO officers at his door. He squinted in the bright sunlight to be sure he was seeing correctly. And also some inside.  
  
"Damn it," he swore under his breath. How had the found him?  
  
He pushed through the door to get inside. "Excuse me. Pardon me. So sorry." He saw his daughter in the kitchen, getting mugs out of the cupboard. "What are you doing?" It looked suspiciously like she was making the UEO people coffee.  
  
"Hi, Dad," Sheila replied brightly. "I making everyone coffee. Want some?"  
  
"Don't make them coffee. They'll stay," he told her, annoyed. He wasn't going to give those trespassers anything.  
  
A young, nervous-looking ensign approached him. "Captain Bridger?" he asked tentatively.  
  
Bridger thought for a second. "Bridger...I think there's one on the other side of the island. Course, he gets up very early to go to work. You may have to hurry. And that's a very nice outfit."  
  
"Nathan Bridger, we come at the request of UEO Command." The ensign was persistent, Bridger noted.  
  
"Who?"  
  
"United Earth/Oceans Organization," came the reply.  
  
"Doesn't ring a bell, but then I've been out of touch for a while."  
  
"Captain, we've gone to great lengths to find you-" The ensign was starting to look annoyed.  
  
Bridger himself was annoyed. And Sheila seemed to be enjoying the exchange, like she knew something he didn't. "I don't really know what you people are selling, but I'm really not interested. Now, why don't you do yourself a big favor, and get the hell off my island." Someone stepped out of the hallway. "Ever hear of private homes? What did you do, Sheila, give them free reign of the house?"  
  
"Not all of them," she replied, with a grin. "Just him."  
  
Bridger turned around to face the man fully.  
  
"Hello, Nathan," said Bill Noyce.  
  
Bridger stared at him for a moment, then turned to leave. "Go home, Bill."  
  
"Nathan, will you just listen?" Bridger ignored him and started to push his way out of the house. "Damn it, will you just let me explain?" Bridger kept going. Noyce called after him. "She's finished. She's been operational for three years. Nathan! Nathan, don't pretend you don't care. I know you do."  
  
Bridger almost stopped, but he knew if he started to listen he might cave in, and he didn't want that. He went down to the dock where he and Darwin did most of their work. Darwin was there waiting for them.  
  
"All right, come on." He started making hand motions at the dolphin. "Come on, you know the routine." Darwin splashed water at him with his tail. "Don't make cute, I'm not in the mood. Go down, one, two, three, and tag the marker. Go. Go." Darwin dove under water.  
  
"Hand motion communication," he heard Noyce say behind him. Slowly, he turned to face his friend.  
  
"Well, it's not perfect, but we understand each other. More than I can say about you and me." Noyce appeared to ignore the jab.  
  
"I remember it was Carol who got you interested in dolphins. I heard about what happened. I'm sorry. She was a wonderful woman." Noyce did look genuinely sad, and Bridger felt guilty about thinking he could feel otherwise. Noyce had been Carol's friend as well.  
  
"Yeah, I hear ya."  
  
"Sheila's grown up to look a lot like her. Acts like her too."  
  
"I know," Bridger said.  
  
"You don't think the Navy's gonna let one of its most valuable human resources run off to some desert island and not keep tabs on him." Noyce deftly changed the subject.  
  
"What happened to privacy? Last time I looked, the Bill of Rights was still intact."  
  
Again Noyce ignored him. "Everything's changed, Nathan. I've come halfway around the world to tell you about it. Once the ocean became a frontier for mining, pharmaceuticals, farming, the world became a dangerous place. Undersea borders formed, nations broke into confederations to protect their territorial claims. They hammered out a treaty. The United Earth/Oceans Organization was formed to administer it."  
  
Bridger wondered if he should pretend to care. "Administer? Sounds desperate."  
  
"It's different out there now. Farms, colonies, families; UEO needed a way to maintain the situation. That's why NORPAC gave us the seaQuest. Not as a warship, but as a peacekeeper."  
  
"What's the difference?" Bridger snorted.  
  
"She's being refitted to contain a large science contingent." Noyce knew that would spark Bridger's interest.  
  
"What for?" He was curious now. Damn Bill.  
  
Noyce smiled. "Research, deep sea exploration, the largest deep submergence research vehicle ever."  
  
Bridger shook his head emphatically. "No way. That part of my life is over."  
  
"Don't you understand what I'm offering you?" Noyce asked, frustrated, as Bridger walked away from him. "Nathan, you can't pass this up." No response. "For God's sake, Carol is dead. Let it go."  
  
Bridger stopped, then turned around. "I won't," he said. "I gave her my word. And I can't bring Sheila into it."  
  
Noyce sighed. "I know how much losing Robert hurt you and how you blame yourself for his joining the service. I have kids. And Sheila needs more than this. Look around you; you've isolated her. Don't you see how your research, your passion, may be used aboard a ship you poured your life into? Come see her. Let me at least show you what I'm talking about."  
  
Bridger sighed. Maybe they could just take a little visit, a little look around. What could it hurt? And then they could return to their normal lives, like nothing had ever happened. Because nothing ever would. He wondered how Sheila would react. Knowing her, she would probably be delighted and irrepressible. 


	3. New Faces, Old Faces

Chapter Two: New Faces, Old Faces  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own seaQuest, her crew, or anything from the series, including the episode "To Be or Not to Be." I'm just borrowing a lot. :o)  
  
_Who is right  
When everyone is wrong  
Was it fate that brought you here  
Against your wishes  
Who is to blame  
For the way that you are_  
-Oleander – Down When I'm Loaded

* * *

Bridger watched Sheila as she walked down the hallway of seaQuest, looking around her with awe. She must have asked him fifteen times on the launch while they were approaching if he really designed it. He _had_ told her that he designed a submarine, but obviously he hadn't given enough details. She had also never been on a submarine before. He remembered his first time aboard one, and didn't blame her for her excitement.  
  
"Come on, Nathan, lots to see," Noyce said as he waited for Bridger to catch up. "You know, the last time you saw her, she was no more than a keel laid out in a San Francisco shipyard. Go up those stairs on your left, Sheila." They followed her up. "Two complete decks of science labs, research facilities, everything you could ever want or need is right here."  
  
"Who's footing the bill?" Bridger wondered. It was definitely a hefty bill.  
  
"Grants, free-lance, industry contributions, private donations," Noyce responded.  
  
"Government?" Bridger highly doubted it.  
  
"Only through the UEO," Noyce said, walking though a sliding door. Bridger and Sheila followed him in. They were in a small room with benches.  
  
A voice sounded from a speaker in the ceiling. "Mag-lev engaged. Be seated to avoid injury."  
  
Sheila promptly sat down on a bench. Bridger just stared at the ceiling.  
  
"Nathan," Noyce said, pulling Bridger over to a bench and pushing him down. Noyce sat down next to him. Then the room moved. And at a decent clip.  
  
"Whoa," Sheila said, obviously thrilled.  
  
The Mag-lev came to a gentle stop and the doors opened. "Bridge. Thank you for riding Mag-lev."  
  
"After you," Noyce said, letting Sheila and Bridger off first.  
  
"Admiral on the bridge," called communications officer Tim O'Neill.  
  
"As you were," Noyce responded. "Why don't you take a look around?"  
  
Bridger started wandering from station to station, Sheila trailing behind. He stopped at sensors.  
  
"Uh, can I help you?" Miguel Ortiz looked at Bridger quizzically. Who was he and what was he doing?  
  
"No, no, no, thanks." Bridger continued to check out the station. "WSKRS – Wireless Sea Knowledge Retrieval Satellites. We used to call them roving periscopes. How many WSKRS are you operating out here? We planned three – one forward and two aft."  
  
"That's right," Ortiz replied. "Sir, this is a highly retricted area." He looked uncomfortable under Bridger's scrutiny.  
  
"This tourist bothering you, Mr. Ortiz?" came a familiar voice from behind Bridger.  
  
"He's asking for classified information," Ortiz responded.  
  
Bridger turned around. "Well, they really scraped the bottom of the barrel for the crew this time, didn't they?"  
  
"Yeah, from the looks of it they did a little digging below that old barrel too, huh?" Manilow Crocker shot back.  
  
"Now what the hell's that supposed to mean, sailor?" Bridger asked sternly.  
  
"I'll tell you exactly what that supposed to mean-"he laughed. "It means it sure is good to see you again, Cap."  
  
"How are you?" Bridger asked. "It's been about three years."  
  
"Oh, it's been longer that that, at least five." Sheila came running up to them and hugs Crocker.  
  
"Manny! How are you?" She grinned at him happily.  
  
"Sheila! More beautiful than ever, I see. You've grown up." He looked at Bridger again. "Where the hell you been? I mean, the scuttlebutt had you'd gone bug-eyed, you were makin' like Tarzan on some desert island somewhere."  
  
Sheila cringed. "At least he didn't wear a loincloth!"  
  
"I don't think I went deep enough into the jungle," Bridger confided.  
  
"I know what you mean," Crocker agreed.  
  
Lietenant Commander Katie Hitchcock strode up to the group. "Giving tours now, Chief?"  
  
"Lieutenant Commander," Crocker greeted.  
  
"I don't like visitors at my station."  
  
"Your station?" Bridger questioned, surprised.  
  
"That's right and it's off limits. Now if you want to see some sights, why don't you try the Arizona memorial. What kind of security clearance you got anyway?" She looked at Bridger's badge. Her surprise showed on her face. "Indefinite. The kid too?" She glanced at Sheila.  
  
"Hey!" Sheila protested.  
  
Crocker interrupted. "Perhaps a few introductions might be in order here, Lieutenant, before you swallow your entire leg. Katherine Hitchcock, Chief Engineer. This is Nathan Bridger, Captain Nathan Bridger. And his daughter, Sheila."  
  
Bridger and Sheila both said hello.  
  
"Pleasure, sir," Hitchcock responded. Then she glared at Crocker. "You and I are gonna have a long talk later."  
  
Crocker nodded. "Yes, sir, I'll be looking forward to that. Cap, Sheila," he said as he left.  
  
"You must know this boat pretty well," Bridger commented.  
  
"Stem to stem," Hitchcock agreed, proudly. "I'd put my knowledge up against anybody's."  
  
"I'm sure. A Hyper-Reality Probe? That wasn't in my original design."  
  
"With all due respect, sir, there's probably been hundreds of changes since you left." She paused. "I'd be happy to give you a tour."  
  
"I'd like that." Bridger gave her a wry look. "Perhaps when I'm finished over at the Arizona." He turns and heads off the bridge. Sheila grinned, rolled her eyes at Hitchcock, and followed him.  
  
Hitchcock stared after him. "I guess all that talk about him going native was true," she commented to Ford, who had come up next to her. "You know, you'd think the brass would have at least let us know he was coming."  
  
Ford shrugged. "Well, Noyce was afraid that any kind of show might scare him off."  
  
Hitchcock turned to him. "Wait a second, you knew he was coming on board and you didn't say anything?" Ford walked away. "Jonathon!" She let out an exasperated sigh. Always the last to know...


	4. Surprise

Chapter Three: Surprise  
  
AN: Thanks for the reviews! :o)  
  
Disclaimer: I still don't own seaQuest. If I were rich, however, I totally would!  
  
_You have to keep your eyes open  
As wide as you can  
You never know what could come along_  
-A New Found Glory-

* * *

Bridger, Sheila, and Noyce entered the sea deck. There were a few crew members around, but otherwise the place was empty. There was a large pool at one end of the room.  
  
Bridger looked around, noting the changes that had been made. Big changes. "This was supposed to be the missile prep room," he commented.  
  
"It was. We pulled them out after the treaty was signed," Noyce replied.  
  
"And the forward weapons room?" He couldn't imagine they had taken out _all_ the weapons.  
  
"I'm not going to lie to you, Nathan. This is still a military vessel. Not everyone was satisfied with the terms of the treaty. There are still pockets of resistance." Noyce looked like he would very much like to lie to Bridger and convince him that seaQuest was for research purposes only.  
  
"Well, why all the science?"  
  
"If the world hangs in there and this thing works out, it can eventually become a full time research vessel," Noyce answered.  
  
Bridger thought for a moment. "But why me?" he questioned.  
  
"We need a cool head. Someone who hasn't been sitting with their finger on the trigger," answered Noyce. "Besides, you understand these science guys. You speak their language."  
  
Bridger looked annoyed at Noyce again. "I told you back at the island I am not interested."  
  
"Nathan, just listen to me, just listen-" Noyce was interrupted when they all got sprayed with water from the pool. They looked down, and staring playfully up at them was a dolphin.  
  
"A dolphin!" Sheila cried, moving closer to the pool.  
  
Bridger shook his head at Noyce. "Very funny."  
  
"Hey, you thought of it," Noyce told him.  
  
"Thought of what?"  
  
"A sub that could carry a navy-trained dolphin on board."  
  
"Those tubes I saw?" Bridger questioned, remembering the tubes of water he had seen throughout the ship.  
  
Noyce nodded. "Yeah. Bridger's folly."  
  
"You mean he has access to the entire ship?" Bridger asked.  
  
"Just the way you designed it," Noyce agreed.  
  
Bridger leaned over the edge of the pool and called to the dolphin. When the dolphin swam over, Bridger reacted with surprise. "Darwin! This is my dolphin!"  
  
Sheila came over for a closer look. "It is! Hey, baby," she said, as she rubbed Darwin's nose.  
  
Noyce looked pleased. "I thought you would enjoy having him on board."  
  
Bridger stood up and looked at Noyce, anger in his eyes. "Well, you thought wrong. You know, you talk peace, but you act military. You took him for your own objective and that's not acceptable. Now you're after me, also not acceptable." He looked back at Darwin. "Easy fella, we'll have you outta here in no time."  
  
Darwin bobbed his head. "Darwin play."  
  
Bridger just stared at him. "What?"  
  
"Darwin play here."  
  
Sheila's eyes were wide. "Did he just...?"  
  
"Who wants to play?" Bridger asked.  
  
Noyce grinned. "I think he wants to play.  
  
"Smooth rocks."  
  
"He means the sides of the tank," Noyce said.  
  
"I know what he means," Bridger snapped. "This is some kind of game."  
  
"Oh, it's no game," said Lucas Wolenczak, standing a few feet away. "Cutting edge technology. You see, sensors in the tank pick up the sighs, clicks, and whistles, then the ship's computer interprets it, translates it, and pumps it back into these speakers. Unless it fritzes out on you or something."  
  
Bridger took in the kid standing in front of him. About Sheila's age, cocky grin, wearing jeans and a flannel shirt. "Who are you?" he demanded.  
  
"Who are you?" was the kid's response.  
  
Noyce interrupted before Bridger could respond. "Lucas Wolenczak, Nathan Bridger. And that's his daughter, Sheila. Lucas designed the system that allows Darwin to speak."  
  
Bridger stared at Lucas incredulously. "You're kidding."  
  
"You sounds surprised, Captain. Or maybe just a little jealous," Lucas grinned.  
  
"Jealous?" Bridger snorted.  
  
"Well, I heard you were working on a similar system and gave up. Switched to hand signals or something." He said "hand signals" so scornfully it made Sheila laugh, earning her a glare from her father.  
  
"So?" Bridger said.  
  
"Nothing," Lucas shrugged.  
  
"He can understand me?" Bridger asked.  
  
"Don't ask me. Ask him."  
  
Bridger shrugged. "All right, I will. Darwin, how did we meet?"  
  
"Darwin hurt, island, help," Darwin answered.  
  
"Well?" Noyce asked Bridger.  
  
"I found him floating in a lagoon. He was cut up by a fisherman's net," Bridger explained. "Wait a minute, Darwin, what's the color of my favorite bathing suit?"  
  
"No suit, skin, no Sheila."  
  
Everyone looked at Sheila. "There are some things I never want to see."  
  
"He's right. I don't wear a suit," Bridger said.  
  
"Well, thank you for painting that picture for us," Lucas said. "Listen, I hate to break up this little seminar, but I've gotta go. Or should I say..." Lucas signs "see you later" and then leaves, turning at the door to wave to Sheila, before disappearing into the hallway.  
  
Bridger looked over at Sheila, who was staring at the doorway Lucas had left through.  
  
"Impressive, isn't he?" Noyce commented.  
  
"I could think of a few other words to describe him," Bridger replied.  
  
Sheila smiled. "I think he's kinda cute." Bridger glared at her again. She just shrugged in reply and went over to Darwin again.  
  
"What's he doing here?" Bridger asked Noyce. "Besides as a ploy to get Sheila to want to stay."  
  
"He lives here."  
  
"How so?" Bridger couldn't imagine a submarine be a great home for any kid.  
  
"His father's in charge of our largest corporate endowment. Well, he pulled a few strings and got Lucas assigned to the seaQuest. Apparently there was a bit of a disciplinary problem and the father figured what better place to put him than on a submarine.  
  
Bridger snorted. "So you're not only a peacekeeper, now you're a baby-sitter."  
  
"Oh, Nathan, the kid's a genius," Noyce explained. "I mean, this thing with the dolphin is only the tip of the iceberg. He needs discipline, he needs guidance..."  
  
"He needs a haircut," Bridger interrupted. He couldn't tell anymore if this was a submarine or a circus ring.


	5. Ocean View

Chapter Four: Ocean View  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own anything besides the shirt on my back. So no seaQuest for me.  
  
AN: Thank you, thank you, reviewers. I promise there's a hell of a lot less "To Be or Not to Be" in this one and the entire thing is devoted to Lucas and Sheila. :o)  
  
_Each friend represents a world to us, a world possibly not born until they arrive, and it is by this meeting that a new world is born.  
_-Anais Nin

* * *

Sheila lay on her bunk in the temporary quarters Ford had assigned to her and tried to imagine what it looked like out in the ocean at this depth. Probably just dark. She wasn't sure how many sea animals lived this far down; she hadn't gotten to that part in her biology book yet.  
  
She sighed, realizing if they stayed on seaQuest for too long she was going to get way behind on her reading. Glintsky was going to be so pissed at her. English and history wouldn't be too bad to catch up on, but math and science...She didn't even want to think about it. And she knew that if she didn't get good grades in the last two, her father would have a cow. He didn't understand that math and science didn't come as naturally to her as it did to him. So she ended up having to apply herself more to those subjects to get decent grades, instead of concentrating on stuff she actually liked.  
  
There was a knock on the door. Probably another random crew member sent by Commander Ford to make sure she was comfortable and didn't need anything, and did she want another tour of the ship? Actually, they were more likely sent by Admiral Noyce _through_ Commander Ford. She got the feeling that Ford didn't want her – or her father – on board. Maybe if she ignored whoever it was, he or she would think she was sleeping. Or not there.  
  
There was another knock, a little louder.  
  
Go away.  
  
But no such luck. Maybe persistence was mandatory quality for the UEO.  
  
"I'm coming," she called, getting off the bed. She opened the door, ready to inform the newest lackey that she was comfortable, want-free, and had already seen as much of the ship as she wanted to.  
  
To her surprise, Lucas Wolanczak was standing there.  
  
"Hi," he said. "Were you sleeping?"  
  
"Um, hi," she replied. "No, not sleeping." Wait, wait, why did he think she had been sleeping? Did she have bed hair from lying on the bed? Self-consciously she ran a hand through her chin length blond hair, trying to straighten out any disorder there might be.  
  
"Well, it took you so long to answer, I thought you might have been sleeping."  
  
Sheila gave him a strange look. "If you thought I might be sleeping, why did you keep knocking?" Phew, no bed hair. Wait, wait, why did she care if he saw her with bed hair or not? She was going to be gone soon anyways, she was sure.  
  
"To wake you up, of course." Lucas flashed her impudent grin. "Are you busy? I wanna show you something."  
  
Sheila rolled her eyes. He was cute, yes, but definitely annoying. But her curiosity got the better of her. "Show me what?"  
  
He smiled secretively. "It's a surprise. You'll see when we get there."  
  
Damn him. "All right, all right. Lead the way."  
  
They walked in silence for a few moments.  
  
"So," Lucas said, trying to think of something to say to her. He went with the traditional we-have-nothing-really-to-talk-about line of conversation. "Are you enjoying your visit?"  
  
"Yes, I am. Still a little in awe over the size of this thing." She laughed. "When Dad said we were visiting a submarine, I pictured tiny cramped hallways and itsy bitsy rooms, like you see in movies. It's hard to believe we're actually speeding through the ocean in this thing."  
  
"Well, your father designed one heck of a boat."  
  
"That's the other thing I'm having trouble believing. I knew he designed a submarine, but he never really talked about it." Sheila shook her head in disbelief. "I just never imagined it was a submarine like this. Even I'm impressed, and boats and ships and stuff like this mean absolutely nothing to me."  
  
"He never talked about it?" Lucas stared at her incredulously. "But this was his pride and joy. He spent most of his career designing the seaQuest."  
  
"After my brother...after his, um, ship went down, my mother made Dad promise not to have anything to do with the military, and especially the navy, again. Pretty soon, anything to do with the navy became a taboo subject in our house. And so, yeah, there you have it."  
  
"I read about what happened to your brother, and your mother, in your file. I'm sorry," Lucas said.  
  
"Thanks," Sheila said quietly. She never quite understood why people said thanks when other people were sorry someone had died. But what else was there to say? Damn you for bringing up painful memories? There was a brief pause, and then something Lucas said dawned on her. "I have a file?"  
  
"Well, you are Captain Nathan Hale Bridger's daughter," Lucas said matter-of-factly. "UEO didn't just keep tabs on him. Besides, there's a file for everyone who has ever been on the seaQuest."  
  
"Good to know. So you read it? What did it say?" Sheila asked curiously. She couldn't imagine that it said anything particularly interesting. For the past six years, she'd been living on a desert island. And why was Lucas reading it anyway? She got the feeling he was the kind of person who would read those things just because he could.  
  
"Mostly just stuff about your family. Your grades. That kind of stuff." He grinned at her. "Some pictures from when you were younger."  
  
"Oh, god, I can only imagine. Are we almost there?" They had been climbing what seemed like hundreds of stairs. Okay, maybe it had only been a couple of flights, but still...  
  
"Just one more flight, I promise."  
  
At the top of the stairs was a door. Next to the door was a sign. The sign read "Observation Deck."  
  
"This," Lucas informed her, pausing before opening the door, "is the very top of the seaQuest. In order to get the total seaQuest experience, you must check out this view." With that, he threw open the door, and revealed...  
  
An ordinary room. There was a table and some chairs in the middle, but Sheila couldn't discern anything particularly special about it. She certainly couldn't see any spectacular view.  
  
"Um, Lucas, I think you're confused," Sheila said.  
  
"Sit down and wait," he told her. He went over to a computer on one of the walls and tapped in something to the keypad.  
  
Sheila sat down and waited impatiently. She didn't climb all those stairs to see a freaking table. Then the ceiling began to move. "What the- ?"  
  
As she watched, the ceiling quite literally slid back, revealing some kind of clear glass-like top. And she could see the ocean above her. And shapes moving through the water above them. Obviously nothing was going to get superclose to seaQuest, but there were definitely sea creatures above them.  
  
"Wow," she breathed. She continued to stare above her, not noticing the pleased expression on Lucas' face. He knew this would impress her.  
  
"What's that?" she asked, pointing to the left at tiny flashes of silver in the distance above them.  
  
"A school of fish. Probably tuna."  
  
"And that?"  
  
"Looks like a sea turtle."  
  
"Cool."  
  
He continued to point out various sea creatures until her curiosity seemed satisfied.  
  
"This makes me want to stay. Knowing, and being able to actually see, that I was sharing the ocean with turtles, and fish, and dolphins...I wish I could stay," Sheila said wistfully.  
  
"They want you to stay, you know. Well, they want your father to stay, but you'd stay with him, right?"  
  
"Yeah, I kinda figured that out already. But it's not gonna happen. He won't stay, even if he wanted to." At Lucas' questioning look, she explained. "He promised my mother he would never return. He's not the type to break promises, and especially not to her." She paused, and her eyes grew unfocused, remembering. "They loved each other. Deeply. Even when I was younger and didn't really understand things like that, I knew how much they loved each other. He would do whatever she asked, no questions asked. Sometimes he would stand on the dock and stare out at the ocean. I knew he wanted to go back. It was in his blood, to live in the ocean. But he made a promise. Even Mom knew he wanted to go back, and she would stand at the window and just look at him staring at the sea. She looked sad, but I knew she couldn't take losing someone else to the navy. Not again. But it hurt her knowing that his promise to her hurt him." Sheila shook her head, clearing it. "So, you see, it's not going to happen."  
  
"Yeah," Lucas said. They were quiet for a few minutes.  
  
Sheila looked about to say something, but just then, the observation deck began to close.  
  
"What's going on?" Lucas asked, jumping up from his seat and going over to the computer. "We're answering a distress call and we're on alert. The observation deck automatically closes when we're on alert."  
  
"Distress call? Alert?" Sheila looked a little nervous.  
  
"Come on," Lucas said, grabbing her hand and pulling her out of her chair. "Let's find out what's going on." They exited the observation deck and headed down the stairs. 


	6. Attack

Chapter Five: Attack

Disclaimer: I don't own seaQuest or the episode "To Be or Not to Be" which some dialogue was liberally borrowed from. And I never will, due to fun hospital bills.

AN: Yes, it's been a century since I updated, but there was much pnemonia involved and hospital visits and such and finally things are back to normal and I can get on with life. This chapter's a little boring, but deal with it. I had to get some boring stuff outta the way.

_Not everybody has a brain. Not everybody's going sane. Not everybody wishes well. Not everybody's heaven's hell.  
_-Five for Fighting – Nobody

* * *

"Lucas, I don't know. Are you sure we should be doing this?" Sheila was caught between the worry that they were doing something that could probably be considered illegal and the excitement of eavesdropping on the bridge. Lucas had somehow managed to tap into the bridge communications and they could hear everything that was going on.

"Yeah, sure. I do this all the time." He thought for minute. "Well, not all the time, but sometimes. Anyways, I've never been caught. It's fine. Now be quiet for a minute and listen."

So far all they had been able to tell was that there was a distress call coming from the Gedric Power Station and that the station was under attack.

"We're the only boat within a half-day's sail," Ford said.

"What's our proximity to the station?" asked Bridger.

Sheila and Lucas listened as the crew discussed how far they were from the station. Then Ford spoke up.

"Captain, I'm prepared to offer you command of the seaQuest at this time."

Sheila sat straight up. "What?" she said incredulously at the same time her father said "Come again?" Lucas stared at her and put his finger to his lips, signaling her to stay quiet so they could hear.

"Would the Captain care to assume command at this time?" Ford repeated.

"I don't think you're the kind of officer who turns his back on a command decision, are you? I'm just along for the ride, remember?"

As Ford started barking out orders, Lucas looked at Sheila, shock evident in his face. "Now there's something I never thought I'd hear. Commander Ford offering to give up command. Something weird's going."

Sheila shrugged. "Maybe he was just being polite."

"No, no, there is definitely something more to it than that." Lucas stared off in to space. "Can't really imagine what it is though."

They continued to listen as the seaQuest approached the station. Nothing particularly interesting happened until the WSKRS started spitting back information on the attacking sub.

"WSKRS are kicking back data. One typhoon class Delta 4," came Ortiz's voice.

"That's a tough little sub," Lucas commented. Then, noticing the worry in Sheila's eyes, quickly added, "But not a match for the seaQuest."

As they continued to listen the Delta 4 moved away from the station, and Ford positioned the seaQuest on an intercept course. When the computer sounded "All hands battle stations" Sheila gave Lucas another worried look.

"Don't worry, it's just a precaution," Lucas said to calm her.

"Uh huh. That's nice." It didn't appear to work.

They listened a little more. "Um. The Delta 8 or whatever is attacking?"

"Delta 4. She won't get past seaQuest's intercepts."

They heard Ford and Bridger argue about whether to go after the sub or save the colony. And then they argued about what exact position to put the seaQuest in. And then they heard that none of the controls would work on the bridge.

"Lucas, this does not sound good. You cannot tell me that this is okay."

"Okay, no I can't. But give me a minute." Lucas grabbed his computer and started typing like mad.

"Lucas. The Delta 6 fired."

"Delta 4."

"Whatever."

The computer voice chimed in. "All hands brace for collision. All hands brace for collision."

Lucas looked up and gave Sheila tight smile. "Hold on to something, okay?"

She glared back. "Really? And I was just gonna stand in the middle of the room on one foot and practice my balancing act."

The seaQuest shuddered with the hit of the torpedo.

"See? That wasn't so bad."

"Yeah, but Hitchcock said we were taking on water. That's not good, is it?"

"Listen, your father's taking command."

"No, he's just helping out."

"He's taking command."

"I already told you, he wouldn't do that!"

"Okay, don't bite my head off. Geesh."

"What are you doing, anyways?"

"Just checking on some stuff."

"Crash dive?"

"I don't think he'd really-"

"See? He just said he wasn't captain!"

"I believe you."

"Hey, the Delta 3's going away."

"Delta 4."

"Whatever."

"Turn off the handset."

"Why?"

"I have a feeling they're gonna come looking for me, and I don't want them to know we were listening."

"Oh. Okay."

For a few minutes, the only sound was the tapping of Lucas' keyboard.

"What makes you so sure they're gonna come looking for you?"

"Oh, please, whenever there's a computer problem, who you gonna call? Lucas!"

Sheila gave Lucas a strange look.

"Just trust me."


	7. Dogs, Dolphins, and Uniforms

Chapter 6: Dogs, Dolphins, and Uniforms

Disclaimer: I don't own seaQuest or "To Be or Not to Be". Still. Blah blah blah.

AN: This is a little better than the last one, I think. Still getting some stuff out of the way. I'm skipping major plot details 'cause I'm sure you all have seen "To Be or Not to Be" a thousand times. Or at least once or twice. And I really just want mostly Lucas and/or Sheila stuff.

_Everybody's trying to say I'm wrong. I just wanna be back where I belong. World turning...I gotta get my feet back on the ground.  
_-Fleetwood Mac – World Turning-

* * *

There was a knock on the door. Lucas gave Sheila an 'I-told-you-so' look before calling "Come in!"

Bridger and Westphalen came in.

"Hi, Dad. Hi, Dr. Westphalen," Sheila said brightly. Bridger looked surprised to see her there.

"I thought you were taking a nap," Bridger commented.

"I got woken up," Sheila replied.

"You said you weren't sleeping!" Lucas protested.

"All right, all right. Lucas, we need your help," Westphalen interceded.

"With the computer systems freezing?" Lucas asked.

Bridger gave him a suspicious look. "How'd you know about that?" Lucas shrugged. Bridger turned towards Sheila, who gave him her best innocent look, the one she reserved for when she had actually done something wrong but didn't want him to know about it. She thought it worked, but it always made him more suspicious, and usually rightfully so. He made a mental note to talk to her about it later. "Never mind, that's not important right now. Since you know we have a problem, what else do you know?"

"It's dying," Lucas replied.

"What's dying?"

"The core of the main computer has a virus. That's what's been gnawing away at the systems."

Westphalen looked confused. "But if it's in the core, why isn't it affecting the whole ship?"

"Oh, it will. It just started with weapons and propulsion."

Westphalen still looked confused. "But wouldn't diagnostics have found it in a routine check?"

"No," Bridger interrupted, coming over to look over Lucas' shoulder at the screen, "artificial intelligence just makes a quick pass, unless you fixed that too."

"Well, as a matter of fact, I have some parts on order," Lucas replied with a smug grin.

"I still don't see how it could have been missed," Westphalen persisted.

"Well, this sucker is buried so deep that the diagnostics sweep couldn't even find it," Lucas responded. "It's pretty cool. I mean, whoever planted this thing really knew what they were doing."

Bridger looked up from the computer screen. "Then it's not organic."

"No way. No, it's too specific."

"Is there any way we can tell how long it's been in there?"

"Not until I peel back the layers of data between me and him." Lucas started to tap on his keyboard. After a few seconds, the screen began to flash and bark. "Whoa."

"Whoa, what?" Westphalen asked.

"Did the computer just bark at you?" Sheila chimed in.

"It's got dogs," Lucas said warily.

"Dogs?"

"Watchdogs. Sub-programs to protect the virus," Lucas explained. "If I mess with any of them, the whole ship could crash and burn. Life support, navigation, defence, the works."

Over the ship's loudspeaker came O'Neil's voice. "Captain to the bridge. Captain to the bridge."

"I think that's you," Lucas offered.

Bridger glanced at Sheila. She didn't seem to be paying attention. She was staring at the aquatube. "Just keep doing what you're doing. Hey, kid, good work," he said as he left.

Westphalen followed Bridger. "Don't get cocky," she warned Lucas just before she closed the door.

"Hey, Lucas, I think Darwin's got something for you," Sheila laughed.

Lucas looked over and saw Darwin in the tube with a fish in his mouth. He picked up the vocorder. "Thank you, Darwin. I've already had lunch." He looked at Sheila. "Unless you'd like it."

She shuddered. "Ugh, no thank you."

-Later, launch bay-

"Lucas, honestly, do you really think you can sneak up on a computer virus by going to different computers?" Sheila was annoyed. She had been following Lucas around the ship for about forty-five minutes, going from computer to computer. She thought he was nuts.

"Look, who's the genius around here? You don't have to follow me, you know," Lucas retorted.

"Well, it's not like I have anything better to be doing. I'm just saying, I think you're approaching..." Sheila trailed off as her father approached. In uniform.

Lucas looked up. "Oh, hello, Captain Bridger."

"What have you found?" Bridger asked, self-consciously avoiding looking at Sheila.

"Well, I'm still trying to get to the virus, but I was able to nail the time of entry."

"And?"

"Judging by the layers of data between us and him, I'd say it was planted a little over a year ago. Thirteen months to be exact," Lucas confirmed.

"Keep at it," Bridger said, turning and leaving.

Lucas glanced at Sheila. "Close your mouth."

Obediently, her mouth closed. But she kept staring at the spot where her father had been standing.

-Later still-

"Sheila, I need you to do something for me," Bridger said over to communications system in the launch bay.

"Sure, Dad, what?"

"Meet Westphalen in the moon pool. I need you to get Darwin to tag a homing device to the Delta 4."

"Um, okay." Bridger could hear the hesitation in her voice.

"Look, the only way we can target the boat is with a homing device, and the only way we can get it on the boat without them knowing is with Darwin. You and I know he can do it."

"Okay. Okay, I'm on my way."

"Westphalen will have the homing device. And Sheila? Thanks."

"Sure, Dad."

As Sheila left the launch bay after waving goodbye to Lucas, she couldn't help but wonder what was going to happen. Not with today. Not with the Delta 4, although she wondered about that too. But with her father. And the seaQuest. She could already hear the change in tone in her father's voice. He'd become more authoritative. More captain-like. She wondered what had possessed him to put on that uniform. She didn't know whether she should be upset or happy.

She nearly passed the moon pool because she was so caught up in her thoughts. When she entered, she saw Darwin and Westphalen waiting for her.

"Darwin play," the dolphin greeted her.

"Yes, play, but not like other games. We need your help," Sheila said, stroking his head.

"Darwin help."

"You might want to hear what it is first," Sheila said.

"Trust Sheila."

"We're at six hundred feet, that's the limit of a dolphin's tolerance," Westphalen protested.

"But he's gone deeper than five hundred before."

"You're taking a chance with his life," Westphalen tried again.

"He can do it," Sheila said, not sure if she was trying to convince herself or Westphalen. "Dad wouldn't have Dar do something too risky."

"What about air?" Westphalen tried a new tactic.

"Need air," Darwin agreed.

"With this, he won't have to come to the surface to breathe," Sheila said, strapping the Rebreather on Darwin.

"Need air," Darwin repeated.

"Yes, you'll get air. Just try it." Sheila looked at a crewman standing near by. "Did you flood the tube yet?"

"Yes," the crewman responded. "Captain Bridger ordered that two minutes ago. It's all set."

"I don't like it," Westphalen said.

"Don't like what?" Sheila asked.

"You are going to fire him out of a torpedo tube!"

"What?" Sheila looked shocked. "No! He's going to swim out of a torpedo tube!"

"I still don't like it."

Darwin surfaced. "Darwin breathe."

"Yes, I told you. Now, what you do is swim out and tag the marker."

"Darwin play."

"Yes, just like on the island. You swim down, you tag the marker. Tag the metal boat. Understand?"

"Metal boat," Darwin confirmed.

"And if you play well, I'll give you a whole bucket of fish!"

"Darwin, you don't have to do this," Westphalen tried reasoning with Darwin.

"Swim for Sheila," Darwin said before swimming off.

"Oh, Darwin," Sheila protested. She watched him leave. "Be careful."


	8. Epilogue: Follow Your Heart

Epilogue: Follow Your Heart

Disclaimer: Still no ownage of seaQuest and "To Be or Not to Be." I'm working on it, though.

AN: sniff The end. Thank you to any and all reviewers. You're the best. Truly. I am working on story numero two which with have nothing to do with any specific episode. This one's gonna be all me. And Sheila. grin

_'Cause I know, tomorrow I'll be breaking in a brand new heart. But it's hard when you are not around. Precious time to stop and start, and it's hard the second time around.  
_-The BeeGees – Brand New Heart-

* * *

Bridger was leaning against a cabinet in his quarters, starting at the holographic image of Carol. He wasn't sure what to do. He knew what he wanted to do and he thought he knew what Sheila wanted him to do, but he didn't know if he could forget his promise.

"The door was open," Lucas said from the doorway, interrupting his thoughts.

"Come on in," Bridger said.

Lucas walked toward Bridger and the hologram. "I'm still trying to improve it." He stood next to Bridger. "She's pretty. Sheila looks a lot like her."

"Yes."

"Well, I just came by to tell you I thought it was very...effective the way you handled the situation."

"Effective?" Bridger made a face. "Thanks."

"You gonna stay, or what?" Lucas asked.

"It's not that simple," Bridger said quietly.

"Why not?" Lucas protested. "Come on, you like it here, don't you? I mean, it is your boat."

"I made a promise."

"To her?" Lucas gestured towards Carol.

"Her name's Carol. And yes. To her. And to Sheila."

"Were you two happy?" Lucas asked.

Bridger thought back to the years he and Carol had shared. "Yes, we were," he replied sadly.

"Well, my parents, they were never happy. I mean, they can't even stand to be in the same room together. I remember wishing they would just get a divorce and get it over with."

"Why didn't they?"

"Well, they said that when they got married, they made a promise to stay together forever. I guess they didn't count on things changing." Lucas looked up and saw Sheila standing in the doorway. "Oh, hey." He stepped towards the door. "I've got to be going. Been nice talking to ya. Laters." Moments later he was out the door.

"Hi, honey."

"Hi, Dad."

"How long have you been standing there?"

Sheila walked over and watched her hand go through the hologram, where her mother's hand was. "A little while."

"Oh."

"He's right, you know." At Bridger's confused expression, she elaborated. "Lucas. Things change. Sometimes it's better for everyone to break a promise, even an important one. Even one with someone you love. I don't think she'd mind, Dad. I really don't. You don't know this, but sometimes, when you'd be out on the dock, just staring out at the ocean, we'd know that you were missing it. I knew it. Mom knew it. And it really really hurt her, you know, knowing that your promise to her was making you so sad. I think that sometimes she knew that maybe she shouldn't have made you promise not to go back. She knew that she shouldn't have made you turn your back on something you loved so much." Sheila looked up. "I think that if she were here with us right now, she'd be telling you to do what was in your heart. And you and I both know that what's in your heart right now is to stay."

"Come here, kiddo," Bridger said, opening his arms. He hugged her tightly for a few minutes. "When did you get so wise?"

"Oh, I don't know. Sometime between birth and now."

Bridger laughed and stepped back. "So what do you think?"

"You look like the captain of the seaQuest."

"Captain, you are wanted on the bridge."

"I guess that's me."

"Go up there and order people around," Sheila said with a grin, as she left his quarters.

"There's more to it than that," Bridger protested.

"Yeah, sure, Dad, I know why you really want this gig. It's 'cause your so bossy." Sheila laughed as she waved goodbye and disappeared down the hall to who knew where. Hopefully somewhere where she couldn't get into trouble.

Bridger smiled and turned once more to the hologram. He touched the shimmering image of his wife's cheek, and then shut off the hologram. He had to get to work.


End file.
